FLA Plans Legislative Day, Names Two CD Members to Its Board

Boca Raton, Fla. — The Florida Limousine Association (FLA) has made some recent personnel additions, and has also set a legislative event into motion that will take place later this month.

At the beginning of March, FLA hired former NLA Executive Director, longtime chauffeured transportation company operator, and founder of PALM Association Management and Consulting Philip Jagiela as its new executive director.

“The FLA’s in the middle of this huge fight now with the TNCs and trying to change the legislation in Tallahassee, and we needed an executive director,” said FLA President Rick Versace of A1A Limousine & Airport Service. “We figured with Philip’s years of experience and contacts in the industry, he could really get our organization set up properly and get new members.”

According to Versace, Jagiela will be involved in FLA’s day-to-day operations, primarily in regard to building membership and helping the organization grow.

Jagiela, who was also recently named as Chauffeur Driven’s new Industry and Brand Ambassador, is not the only member of the CD team to partner with the Florida association: President and Publisher Chris Weiss has also joined the FLA board of directors.

“We know Chris has been involved in LANJ and some of the other associations across the United States,” Versace said. “Our organization needs his kind of perspective from a more national level to help us see what people are doing in other parts of the country, and I think that will be an invaluable help to our board of directors.”

FLA will hold an association meeting in Las Vegas on March 16, which will precede Florida For Hire Vehicle Day on March 25. The legislative day, which Versace describes as “a massive show of strength in the Capitol of Tallahassee,” aims to have more than 100 operators from throughout the state converge and meet with their elected officials about TNCs.

“Companies from all over the state will come to Tallahassee for an intense day of lobbying and meeting,” he said. “We’d really like to show that we’re here and we’re concerned—and that we’re not going away. We welcome competition. We don’t have a problem with them as long as they do everything we have to do. That’s the message we’re trying to send.”

Versace sees Florida For Hire Vehicle Day becoming an annual event, though the Florida limousine and car-service associations—all of which are now under the FLA banner—have been sending small delegations of members to Tallahassee every other week and will continue to do so until May 1, which is the end of the current legislative session.

The FLA is also currently planning to hold a Miami meeting in April.

Visit floridalimousine.com for more information.

[CD0315]